At this time of year, it’s common to think of the people and circumstances for which we’re grateful, and that’s wonderful. But how about those things that make our lives just a teensy bit (or a lot) better? Things don’t make us rich, but they can definitely perform some service that enriches us in some sense.

So here are my five faves. They’re not all fashion related, but if they make me happier, that’s bound to show in my demeanor.

My grey Coach wristlet. This little wallet takes a beating, holds everything (I’ve been known to squeeze lipstick and a phone in there along with all my cards), and is fun to carry.

Jewelry. Yes, jewelry is my business, but seriously—who doesn’t need a little sparkle? As I write this from my cold basement office (which, by the way, is the location I chose), my frozen ring finger is sporting a sassy buckle ring with enough crystals to make a glitter factory jealous. And that fun mulberry and hematite necklace? Mm-hmm. Sassy and colorful additions to my cozy grey sweater.

My super cute Miche purse I talked about a few weeks ago here. There’s not much more to say except that I’m still loving it.

The Verso” Sharyn Sowell cover for my Kindle. Can you believe this little thing retails for $174 on Amazon?? T. J. Maxx, people. That’s where it’s at, or was a year ago, for just $9.99.

Starbucks $1 reusable cup. Definitely a fashion statement. I always look like I stopped for coffee even if it’s home brewed.

How about you? What are your top accessories that make you feel fabulous and thankful?

While no one attempting to understand my filing system would call me organized, I do have some natural instincts for time management and getting things done. I’ve used a day-planner since I was about fourteen or so. (No, I didn’t have much of a social life—it just made me feel important and organized.) A paper planner.

I love paper. L-O-V-E.

Admit it: sometimes being organized is time consuming, and sometimes it’s bulky. I’m sure a large percentage of my back and shoulder problems are thanks to lugging a hefty calendar in my purse.

Somewhere around 2009 I attempted to go digital. Back then it was a Palm Pilot. Because I really did have both a social and a business life by that point, I actually needed to plan. I can do this, I thought. I’m a big girl now.

Not two months into my digital conversion, I ended up double booking myself. Thankfully my sister Jak was able to fill in for me at one of the events, but it was a $300 mistake in Jak’s favor.

Perhaps Jak was sorry to see me return to paper. But that was 2009. She’s had a while to get over it.

Fast forward to the spring of this year. A daily writing prompt asked me what was my favorite gadget. My iPhone, of course. Suddenly, inspiration struck and I spent the morning scouring the App Store for The Perfect Digital Calendar.

EveryThink does everything. Hence the name. Set up like a traditional DayTimer®, you can view your calendars anyway you like with the press of a button: daily with task list, weekly, an entire year, or—my personal favorite—month at a glance where you can actually read what your appointments are. No more dots on the screen for you to guess their meaning.

Not only that, EveryThink syncs up your contacts and has the capability to create folders within a single event where you can store files, pictures, notes, contact information, maps—you name it.

Ooh! And did I mention you can change your tab colors? Pretty snazzy. For me, teaching and open dates are yellow, family is purple, and business is pink.

Remember that $300 mistake courtesy of my PalmPilot? Ain’t never gonna happen. One morning I went looking for an event I had scheduled two days earlier. I couldn’t find it. In total panic, I typed a hasty message to EveryThink’s support staff (by no means my first). Within a short while I received (as I knew I would) a personal response introducing me to the Deleted tab. This is the land where accidentally, ahem, deleted appointments and tasks go. I even found old task lists that I had kissed goodbye in favor of new ones. It’s impossible to lose anything!

Currently, EveryThink is only available for Apple products, but I’m guessing if enough of us ask really sweetly, soon it will be compatible with all phones and tablets. Curious? Go ahead and shoot a quick email to support@everythink.us. I promise you they will respond, and in a short time, too. They’re classy like that.

**As with all my posts recommending products, I am receiving no compensation for this post. My enthusiasm compels me to share.

Recently I took part in an open house as one of the vendors. Preparing for this event, I wondered if the Miche® lady would be there as well. When I met her at the same event in 2012, I was not in the market for a purse, and as new mother I didn’t even know what I needed. But knowing my love for all things new (when it comes to purses and shoes), I spent time mulling over the practicality of the Miche concept: a base bag with interchangeable shells to match various outfits, seasons, and moods.

“On the way home from work in the fall of 2004, a young woman did something most women have done—she spilled on her favorite handbag. Frustrated by the thought of hunting for a replacement then transferring all the contents, she wished there was a way to just change the outside of the bag. The idea immediately popped into her mind to create a bag with changeable covers. Not to be deterred by her lack of sewing skills, she grabbed her super glue and some scrap fabric, took apart the stained bag, and made the very first prototype. With her rough creation in hand, she set out on a mission to bring the Miche Bag to life.”

Now, before anyone gets the idea that I’m getting a kickback for writing this, I’m not. But if I’m passionate about something, I’ve got to share. Surely you know what I mean.

Choosing my purse took a lot of thought. I interviewed every woman I met who carried one. I tried them on. I took their stuff out and put mine in. I asked how long they had been using that particular shell and checked for wear and tear. I looked at how the inside (the base bag) held up. These were career women with young to school-age children, and we all know how stuffed a mom’s purse can get. I reread my post from a few weeks ago, just to make sure I remained on track. And I asked the all-important question:

“How many purses have you purchased since your Miche?”

The answer? Not a one.

This from women who admitted to being purse, ahem, addicts.

With that information, I decided this would be my Christmas present and took the plunge. And I’m not a bit sorry. As you may remember, I needed a big bag, so I chose the largest style—the Prima—and chose the Tereasa and Elsa shells (starter kits are a bargain: a base and two shells in that size). The deal that month just happened to throw in interchangeable sets of chains and handles in both gold and silver, brown and black.

Let me tell you, it’s like getting to move furniture around for a breath of fresh air, but without all the time and mess. And I feel so sassy when I leave the house.

Perhaps it’s the animal print. I do love a good leopard print.

As I mentioned, I’m not getting any kickbacks from Miche, but if you’re looking for a helpful (and patient) representative, contact my friend Joyce. You can check out her Miche shop here.

In my line of work I meet an average of 420 new women every year. Over the past seven years, over 400 women have welcomed me into their homes. Sadly—but perhaps understandably—I can’t remember every single one of these hostesses and many of my roughly 3,000 customers.

Still, I feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world to do what I do. Because of a job where I go into women’s homes and share jewelry and fashion and fun, I’ve been gifted with many lovely friendships. Women whose lives might never have crossed my path other than at a jewelry show are often in my thoughts and they brighten my day.

One in particular stands out to me today. I’ll call her Grace.

Grace and I met six years ago at a jewelry show. This past September she decided it was her turn to host me, and welcomed me into her lovely home for a brunch jewelry showing with her friends. Being the friend of Grace’s friend and solid acquaintances, I was excited. I knew Grace would be a delightful hostess and looked forward to getting to spend time with her.

That morning when I arrived at her home to set up my display, Grace presented me with the gift of a pillow on which she had quilted the word “faith.”

Knowing some of our family circumstances, perhaps she chose this word as a reminder to me not to worry. Whatever her reasoning, this kindness brought instant tears to my eyes. I was the one who was supposed to be giving gifts to Grace at this event—not the other way around.

I brought the pillow home and put it on display in our living room, hopefully out of the way of grimy toddler fingers. It sits on a rocker where I see it daily and am constantly reminded of Grace’s kindness.

Kindness and the attribute of grace go hand in hand. We don’t always deserve kindness, and often the kindnesses others show make us feel unworthy. Perhaps my friend Grace felt as if she was offering a simple gesture of friendship. To me, it was like hearing God remind me that he cares for me. Kindness and grace beautify both the giver and the recipient.

Thank you, Grace, for this lovely reminder and for your kindness to me.

Does every woman eat/talk/drink off her lip color, or is it just me? There are some women out there who always seem to have beautifully painted lips, and yet I never see them applying color.

There’s a little bit of jealousy in my heart. I’ll admit it.

A few months back, I saw a review on Revlon’s Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick. However, when I looked for it in cosmetics, all I found was the Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick. Not being an especially patient girl, I grabbed a tube in #1 Nude.

While I wouldn’t advocate wearing this lipstick every day, I will use it about twice a week when I need all-day color. It truly will last about 12 hours while I eat, drink, talk, drink some more (I’m a water-bottle kind of girl, which I think is especially hard on lip color), kiss my boys, and drink again.

If you give this lipstick a try, be prepared to apply with a steady hand and allow some drying time before eating/drinking/kissing. But once dry, your lip line is set. I love that!

If, like me, you tend towards dry lips, you’ll want to invest in a lip scrub or mask and some quality lip balm. Personally, I find straight coconut oil to work the best for lip repair, but I’m hoping to give the lip scrubs by Perfectly Posh a try. I’ve heard great things. If you’ve tried their products, please let me know what you think.*